


The Odd Marines

by AnimationNut



Category: One Piece
Genre: Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Don't copy to another site, Family, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Humor, One Shot Collection, One Word Prompts, Originally Posted in 2016, Platonic Relationships, Pre-Canon, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:22:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27438019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnimationNut/pseuds/AnimationNut
Summary: Their partnership was an odd one. It certainly wasn't meant to be permanent. But that's how it worked out--and Smoker raising all hell whenever someone even mentioned getting him a new partner might have had something to do with it. Series of one-shots, varying in length.
Relationships: Smoker & Tashigi (One Piece)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 23





	1. Natural Enemy

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own One Piece.
> 
> Word prompt: Jar

Holding a faded green glass plate stacked with fresh scones, Tashigi reached for her canteen of water before carefully maneuvering her way towards an empty newspaper-laden table. The break room was relatively quiet that afternoon, a few other Marine officers gathered on the sofas.

Tashigi set her snack down and quickly realized that she had forgotten the jam to put on top of her scones. She retraced her steps and went to the fridge, yanking it open and wrinkling her nose at the foul stench that emitted from inside. Ignoring the rotting food, she snagged the jar of mixed berry jam. The glass jar was sticky from previous spilt jam, causing her to grimace.

_Now I remember why I don't use the staff fridge often._

Taking hold of the lid, Tashigi gave a twist. But instead of the lid popping off like she expected, it stayed firm. Brow furrowing, she tried again, this time with a little more force—but it didn't budge an inch. Deciding that maybe the lid was also sticky from jam, she ran it under warm water. When that didn't work, she tried covering the top with a towel and twisting through the fabric. When that yielded no results, she slammed on the bottom of the jar.

Tashigi hissed in frustration as the jar's lid remained screwed shut. Her nerves were starting to get high-strung, and she was sorely tempted to just smash the infuriating thing against the countertop. But that would result in shattered glass and a sugary-laden mess, and she was so _not_ in the mood for cleaning.

She was sure that the other Marine officers were staring at her, but she ignored them. She would not ask for their help—she didn't need it. She'd faced hardened criminals and nasty pirates. She was a respected Marine. She didn't need help opening some glass container.

Gritting her teeth together, Tashigi braced her back against the edge of the white counter. With all her strength, she pulled on the lid, her hands already throbbing with pain, her arm muscles straining as she pushed them to their full limitations. Her teeth were clenched so hard she would not have been surprised if they cracked.

After a minute of fruitless effort, the remaining shreds of her patience snapped and she cried out furiously, _"Open up before I slice you in half! That's an order, damn it!"_

So engrossed was she in her mission that she didn't notice the door creak open, or the imposing figure who entered. The Marines, who had been watching Tashigi struggle with amusement, hastily looked away. They did not want to be accused of laughing at the swordsman—Smoker did _not_ appreciate anyone laughing at his partner.

Slim eyebrow raising, Smoker watched Tashigi for a moment, the girl oblivious to his presence. With a shake of his head he strode over and plucked the jar from Tashigi's hand. She shot her head up in surprise, mouth opening to protest his assistance.

**_Pop!_ **

Easily snapping the lid off, Smoker set the open jar on the counter. He crossed his arms over his chest, unable to stop the smirk from forming as red bloomed over Tashigi's face, her hands tightening into fists at her sides. She simmered in mortification for a moment before properly meeting Smoker’s eyes.

"T-Thank you, Smoker-san," she choked out. "But I would have gotten it! I just needed another minute."

"Sure you would have," drawled Smoker. "After a few more threats, you would have intimidated the enemy enough for it to surrender."

A few Marine officers snorted, but quickly ducked their heads when Tashigi glared fiercely at them. "That's not funny, Smoker-san."

"Your scones are getting cold."

Huffing under her breath, Tashigi moodily grabbed the accursed jam jar and watched her boss grab an apple from the fruit bowl before departing from the break room without another word. Shoulders slumping, she shuffled over to her table.

"He's never going to let me forget this one."


	2. Best Policy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Word prompt: Honest

Smoker detested dishonesty. He despised those who lied. As far as he was concerned it offered no purpose, other to mar a person's character and offend the recipient of the falsehoods. From small fibs to a spider's web of lies, he hated them all. He valued honesty above all else—well, not quite as much as he valued justice, but it came close.

Any officer under his command who dared lie to his face was promptly dismissed and transferred to another squadron. Smoker had a knack for detecting whether he was being told the truth. There were no second chances for anyone trying to pull the wool over his eyes.

Tashigi learned very quickly what a blunt man her superior was. He didn't sugar-coat anything. If a grunt was slacking off or not doing a good enough job, he was told straight to his face, more often than not in front of a crowd.

It irked her. Smoker noticed.

"You have something you want to say?"

Tashigi, so absorbed in her thoughts, jolted. "Pardon?"

Smoker glanced at his newest partner, a hint of impatience about him. White smoke curled above their heads as they walked down the corridors of the base. "I know you heard me. You're blind, not deaf."

Tashigi frowned, unable to dispel the scathing words of hard honesty Smoker had given her fellow officer during their daily training session. "I think you can be too harsh, Captain Smoker."

Most sixteen-year-olds, fresh from the Academy and terrified of making waves, wouldn’t dare to speak their opinion so openly. Smoker wasn’t surprised Tashigi held no such feelings. He was intrigued rather than offended. "You want to elaborate on that?"

"I think you could have been kinder to Osako-san, or at least talked to him in private. I know his course times are the slowest out of all of us, but that doesn't mean you should be so harsh with him."

Smoker crossed his arms over his broad chest. "What would you have done, then? Let him continue with such dismal performance?"

Tashigi bit her lip. "Well, no. But I might have suggested that he spend some of his free time practicing, that he could benefit from it."

Smoker snorted. "That doesn't tell him anything. It's merely implying what he _could_ be doing. Not what he _should_ be doing. Beating around the bush never helped anyone. If he wants to stay in my squad, he needs to be better. It's a hard, dangerous world out there. He won't survive if he continues as he is. And if Osako can't take criticism in front of his peers, there's no hope for him."

Tashigi didn't quite believe him, especially when Osako transferred to office work the following week. Her sympathy for him increased ten-fold when she suddenly found herself the recipient of Smoker’s brutal honesty.

Her training opponent for the day suddenly buckled and Tashigi quickly veered, changing the course of her blow so it would not be as critical.

" _Stop!"_ thundered Smoker.

Everyone froze. Tashigi flinched internally as she assumed a straight-backed stance. He stormed over and focussed on his now-nervous partner. "What the hell was that?"

"I…I…" Tashigi floundered, trying to find words to phrase her reasoning that wouldn't sound so pathetic. But she couldn't find them and she admitted, "I didn't want to hurt him."

For a brief moment, Smoker was impressed that she had not offered some flimsy excuse. But it was overcome by ire. "You think this is a game?"

"No!" she said quickly. "I just—"

"You think the pirates are going to let you, a woman, get off easy? You think this world is going to hesitate to hurt you?"

His words were mocking and Tashigi felt her face flush red. "There's a difference between fighting with your allies and fighting with the enemy," she snapped.

There was a collective intake of breath from the observing grunts, who could not believe she had talked back to her superior. Smoker stared at her for a moment, his expression unreadable. "If you can't land the killing blow in training, you'll never land it when it matters," he said at last. "You'll be a weak link in the chain and you'll drag us down. If you can’t get your crap together, I have no use for you. Go."

Taking her dismissal, Tashigi muttered, "Hai," before departing. Her shoulders were hunched in a combination of humiliation and anger, but Smoker noticed the speculative look on her face as she passed by.

In the next sparring match, Tashigi fought ruthlessly and she took ever chance to land a crushing strike. By the end, she left a wake of battered and bruised men. As she went to retrieve her towel, panting from exertion, a heavy hand landed on her shoulder. She looked to see Smoker staring down at her in approval. "Good work."

A flare of pride ignited within her. "Thank you, Captain Smoker." Growing more subdued, she said softly, “I see what you mean. About having to be blunt with your honesty. It helps you—and us—figure out where we need to be. I’m sorry.”

Smoker inclined his head. “You learned. That’s what matters.”

Most quailed under his honesty and criticisms. Sometimes they wept over it. But Tashigi, with a backbone made of steel, did not brood or sulk. She accepted what he had to say and worked to improve herself. That self-growth would not have happened if he had made a mere suggestion. She would not understand the weight of her mistake if he side-stepped around the truth.

Her ability to handle his honesty, and be just as brutal with her own, was one of the many reasons why he kept her by his side.

"I do have some advice for you,” spoke Tashigi as they crossed the training grounds together. “You should smile more when we do patrol through town. You scare the children.”

Though her honesty was appreciated, she could sometimes stand to remember her place.


	3. A Furry Visitor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Word prompt: Furry

"Shoo! Go away!"

Her hisses, which were accompanied by wild waving of her arms, did nothing to startle the stray animal off. The small grey kitten looked up at her with wide yellow eyes, tail wagging slightly. Tashigi stared down at it in dismay. She could see her Marine base settled on the slope in the distance, the large structure looming over the village nestled below. The kitten had been following her for two hours and was showing no signs of leaving.

"I can't bring you with me," she insisted. "We're not allowed to have pets."

" _Meow."_

The tiny animal looked at her in what Tashigi swore was a pleading manner. Letting out a resigned sigh, Tashigi bent down and gathered the kitten in her arms, heart melting when it immediately snuggled close.

"Maybe just for one night," she muttered.

She knew immediately this was a bad idea, but the idea of leaving the poor defenseless creature alone greatly unsettled her. When she reached the base she tucked the kitten underneath her sweater and wrapped her arms over the awkward bulge. She walked briskly down the corridors, hoping she could get to her bunk unnoticed.

"Tashigi."

Stilling at the sound of her boss' voice, she immediately snapped into a straight-backed stance. "Captain Smoker," she returned. She turned her body halfway, so that her head was facing Smoker and her stomach was out of his line of sight.

"How was the patrol?"

"Fine," she reported. "There were no incidents."

Smoker regarded her, brow arching at the odd way she carried herself. "Is your neck the only part of your body capable of moving?" he asked.

Tashigi inwardly cursed. Leave it to her to have a superior who didn't miss a beat. "No, sir."

" _Meow."_

Tashigi hastily launched into a fake coughing fit the second she heard the kitten's impatient noise, managing to drown out the rest. "I'm going to retire to my bunk now," she rasped, raising a hand in a salute. "Have a nice evening."

Without blinking, Smoker inclined his chin and Tashigi wasted no time in rushing down the corridor. Watching her go, the man heaved out a sigh and swivelled on his heel, beginning the trek for the kitchens. He was going to need a drink before he found out what his troublesome partner was up to.

…

Having discovered that the kitten was a male, Tashigi could not help but give him a name. "You're going to have to be very quiet, Smokey," she whispered. The name had left her lips before she really thought about it. The kitten's grey fur reminded her of Smoker's cigars, and the moniker stuck.

After exploring her quarters, the kitten settled on the hardwood floor and let out a particularly loud _meow._ "I said you're going to have to be quiet," said Tashigi, reaching out to scratch Smokey behind the ears. She noticed how thin he looked, and he was probably starving. Biting down on her bottom lip, Tashigi stood.

"I'll go get you some food. But you can't make a sound!"

She made a quick trip to the dining hall to gather some dinner. Marines were seated at the long benches, chatting and eating from the massive piles of food stacked on their trays. Tashigi grabbed a single plate and filled it with rice balls and tempura. She was back in her room five minutes later, and gawked at what had occurred in her brief absence.

"You naughty cat!" she scolded, staring around at the ripped up papers, scratched desk and torn pillows in horror. In the small amount of time Smokey had caused a whirlwind of destruction, shreds of paper and feathers covering her floor like snow.

Smelling the food, Smokey mewed eagerly and scampered over, pawing at Tashigi's leg. Heaving a weary sigh, Tashigi set the plate down and let the kitten dig in. "I'm going to need a broom.”

A sharp knock sounded on her door, causing her to jump. "Open the door," a familiar, deep voice drawled.

Tashigi flinched. "Can you come back later, Captain Smoker?"

" _Tashigi."_

With a soft groan she complied, cranking the brass knob and opening the door wide. Smoker crossed his arms over his chest, regarding the seventeen-year-old for a moment before looking past her shoulder. "What is _that_?"

"A cat."

"Don't get flippant with me. You know what I meant."

"He followed me when I was doing patrol. I couldn't just leave him so I brought him here for a little bit of rest and food. I was going to find a home for him tomorrow."

"Have you forgotten the rule about no pets allowed on base?" asked Smoker dryly.

"No sir,” Tashigi mumbled. “I'm aware of the rule."

Smoker studied the small creature, who had just finished half of the food Tashigi had brought him. He went up to the girl and wound around her legs, mewing gratefully. "One hundred laps," he said at last. "You start tomorrow at dawn."

Initially surprised, Tashigi felt a rush of relief at what she considered to be a mild punishment. "Yes, Smoker-san. Thank you, sir. I won't do it again."

"We'll see," said Smoker dubiously. His partner had a weakness for cute creatures, and he wouldn't be surprised if he stumbled upon her harbouring a stray puppy in a month's time. "He can stay with you for the night." When the cat came to nuzzle against his ankle, he bent down to rub his ears. "We'll find him a home tomorrow, after you finish your laps."

"Hai." Her bright smile at Smoker's compassion and tolerance faded slightly as she considered something. "How did you know he was here?"

"I didn't." Straightening, he glanced at her with a slight smirk. "I just knew you were up to something."

Perplexed, Tashigi said, "But you didn't ask."

Amusement swelled within Smoker at this observance. She knew as well as he did that if he had asked her outright if she was doing something she wasn't supposed to, she would have told him the truth in a heartbeat. "I figured I would probably need a drink to deal with whatever dumbass stunt you were up to this time."

"Sorry, sir."

"Ah. Next time, bring the stray to someone in town. They can handle the little furball."

"Yes sir."

"What's his name?"

The way she jolted caught him by surprise, his eyebrows flying to his hairline. "What?" she squeaked. She hadn’t expected him to ask.

"His name," repeated Smoker, bemused. "I know you've named him by now. What is it?"

The red on her cheeks deepened. "I'd rather not say, sir."

Leaning against the doorframe, Smoker spared a glance for the prowling kitten before settling his gaze back on his clearly embarrassed partner. He did not look away and she held his stare for a moment before reluctantly answering.

"Smokey," she muttered, the red blossoming across her entire face. "I named him Smokey."

There was a beat of silence before Smoker's booming laugh could be heard clear across the base.


	4. What Goes Bump in the Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Word prompt: Haunted

There was a rumour circulating around the lower-ranked grunts of the Marines stationed at the Hollingthorn base. On the edge of the sprawling property was a large rectangular warehouse, in which various supplies and spare weapons were kept. The Marines who were of a higher class hardly ever ventured down the beaten dirt path that led down a slope and through a grove of trees. They always sent their subordinates to retrieve whatever was needed.

The grunts, from the Chore Boys to the Petty Officers, started noticing odd happenings in the warehouse. It started off small, such as boxes of food being spilt and crushed on the cement floor and items not being in their proper place. But then it gradually escalated, with supplies flying off the shelves with no discernable cause and screeching sounds that were definitely not human. They first believed it was a prank, but no one would admit responsibility.

After a month, a few Chief Petty Officers grew irritated with this charade and checked the security cameras. The footage revealed an unexpected sight—a white blur moving about, streaking amongst the shelves and creating the chaos that had been baffling them for weeks. They wasted no time in telling those below them of the phantom in the warehouse and the stories began to spread like wildfire.

On a dark Friday night, Tashigi sat in a red plush armchair, studiously reviewing the notes she had taken that day concerning her training. Smoker's office was empty for a moment, the man having gone to retrieve a cup of coffee from the break room.

She spent quite a bit of her downtime in her mentor’s office. He only ever sent her away when someone needed to speak with him in private, but he always summoned her back in when he was finished. She had been doing this since her first days as a Marine and thought it was normal practice. Her peers, on the other hand, were utterly baffled. No one could be in the study of a Captain or higher-ranked Marine without them present. Smoker hadn't been an exception until the raven-haired girl was assigned to him. The grunts were wise not to comment on this in the man's presence, and Tashigi was a bit too oblivious to notice the difference in treatment.

The wooden door swung open and Smoker strode inside, his face creased with ire. "Some moron didn't restock the coffee beans. Go get some for me, will you?"

Tashigi felt her chest tighten with anxiety. The coffee beans were kept in the warehouse—the haunted warehouse. She normally didn't believe in such myths, but the fact that so many of her peers had witnessed the eerie happenings caused her some doubt.

Knowing that she could not defy such a simple order, she said, "Hai."

Before she went outside, she paused by her room to get her sword. She held it tightly between her hands as she walked down the path, goosebumps prickling across her flesh. The branches creaked in the wind, the shadows twisting and stretching.

_There's no such thing as ghosts, there's no such thing as ghosts,_ she chanted silently as she reached the steel doors of the warehouse.

She punched her code into the security panel and the doors automatically unlocked. She flicked the switch and the overhead lights flared to life. Eased by the brightness that chased away the darkness, Tashigi walked between the towering metal shelves towards where the coffee beans were kept. Picking up an empty bucket that rested beside the barrel, Tashigi filled it to the brim with the small brown beans.

" _Rrrreeaaahhhh!"_

The soup cans stacked above her head exploded off the shelf, clattering to the floor with ugly clanging noises. Tashigi let out a startled shout and hastily backed up, snapping her gaze upwards. A hulking white creature loomed over her, yellow eyes glinting. She blinked and it vanished, and that was enough to send her flying out of the warehouse with a scream of panic.

…

Smoker stared at his partner, who was terror-faced and trembling, babbling nonsense about a ghost she had seen in the warehouse. He didn't know what he did in life to deserve a hopeless, foolish subordinate, because as far as he knew none of his colleagues had to deal with crap like this.

Heaving out a breath of thick white smoke, he rose from his leather chair with a few impatient puffs of his two cigars. He reached out and grabbed the bucket out of her death grip. This forceful action was enough to halt her frantic speaking.

"At least you brought these with you," he said flatly, setting the container onto his desk. "I'm amazed you didn't let the ghost steal it."

Pale cheeks gaining colour as she blushed, Tashigi insisted, "I _did_ see a ghost, Captain Smoker! Many of us have seen it!"

"There's no such thing as phantoms, Tashigi," said Smoker in annoyance. "You need to stop being so gullible. Someone probably started a story to rile grunts up and you're falling for it."

"It has yellow eyes! It tried to kill me with soup cans!"

"Too bad it missed." When Tashigi's face fell, Smoker rolled his eyes. "There's a logical explanation, Tashigi. There's a logical explanation for everything. If you let your fear control you, you're setting yourself up for disaster."

Biting down on her bottom lip, she suddenly felt embarrassed and ashamed of her behaviour. What kind of Marine would she be if she fled at the slightest thing that frightened her? "Hai. I apologize for my conduct, Captain Smoker."

"Ah." Smoker swept out from around his desk and towards the door. "Let's find this 'ghost' of yours."

Tashigi quickly fell into step beside him as they exited the office. They made the trek to the warehouse and the girl took a calming breath whenever her heart started to beat a little faster in fear. Smoker entered his code and they stepped inside the building, which was still brightly lit since Tashigi had rushed out without turning off the lights.

They walked slowly down the aisles, picking their way over fallen provisions. A bag of rice had been ripped open and Smoker knelt down to inspect it. He studied the jagged tear, brow furrowed slightly. "Well, there's definitely something in here. Something a lot more tangible than a ghost."

" _Rrrreeaaahhhh!"_

The snarling hiss sounded from two aisles away, the same noise that had occurred when the soup cans went flying off the shelf. Tashigi cried, "That's it!" and rushed towards it. When she reached the aisle, she could see items careening to the floor as something ran down the length of the shelves. Removing her sword, she slammed the hilt against the metal structure, causing it to vibrate violently.

With a shriek the white, yellow-eyed creature fell to the ground. It lay dazed as Smoker caught up to his partner. While it was stunned, the man sauntered over and grabbed it by the scruff of its neck. Without a word, he extended it at arm's length and started for the door. Tashigi scampered after him, puzzled and apprehensive.

They entered the dark night and Smoker dropped the creature ungracefully to the ground. "Get the hose."

Startled for a moment, the raven-haired girl obeyed. She unfurled the green hose attached to the water tank adjoining to the warehouse. She cranked the tap and water gushed out of the nozzle. She aimed it at the thing they had caught and let out a soft gasp as the white started to bleed to the grass in clumps.

The cold liquid surprising the animal to its senses, it let out a snarl of displeasure before scampering off into the trees, a little bit of flour still sticking to its fur. Crossing his arms over his chest, Smoker sent a glance at Tashigi, who stared dumbly after the wildlife, the hose hanging limply from her hands.

"First time I've ever seen a ghost take the shape of a raccoon."

"I don't think I've ever felt so embarrassed."

"You'll probably outdo yourself eventually." Jerking his chin towards the warehouse, Smoker ordered, "Clean up the mess. You've got two hours. And keep the door closed. We don't need any more possessed animals getting in."

Cringing slightly, Tashigi turned off the water before shuffling inside the building to complete her task. They both knew he would not let her forget this for a while, and she resigned herself to bearing his quips. She supposed she deserved it for acting foolishly. She knew there was no such thing as ghosts.

Even though she knew better now, she was still relieved and grateful when she stepped out of the warehouse two hours later to find Smoker waiting to escort her through the pitch-black night.


End file.
